Your Right to Know

After weeks of rumors, Gov. John Kasich announced yesterday that Michael Colbert would be
stepping down as director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Colbert’s departure after 2-1/2 years comes as little surprise to many within and close to the
agency overseeing welfare, unemployment compensation, subsidized child care and other assistance
programs. Privately, they have said Colbert’s days were numbered because of long-standing tensions
between him and Ohio’s new Medicaid director, John McCarthy.

The tax-funded health-insurance program for the poor and disabled, which makes up the largest
part of the state budget, had been housed within the Department of Job and Family Services until
earlier this year when Medicaid became its own state agency.

In a news release yesterday, Kasich, a Republican, wished Colbert well, saying he “resigned to
pursue other opportunities.”

Colbert will be replaced by Cynthia Callendar Dungey, the chief of staff at the Department of
Medicaid, a lawyer who formerly worked for the Ohio auditor and attorney general.

“As Ohio continues to transform the way we help vulnerable Ohioans move up and out of poverty,
we’re fortunate that an experienced, capable manager like Cynthia will be leading the department,”
Kasich said. “She has been a steady hand at Medicaid and an essential part of the successful
efforts there to improve quality and value, complete complex IT efforts and reform the agency.”

Within minutes of the administration’s 3 p.m. announcement of Dungey’s appointment, Colbert sent
an email to staff members informing them that he was leaving. He thanked employees for their hard
work and mentioned a new opportunity but provided no details.

Colbert could not be reached for comment. Before being named director by Kasich, Colbert had
served as an assistant director within the agency under the administration of Democratic Gov. Ted
Strickland.